Where Would I Be If?
by Dr. Michaela Quinn
Summary: Where would each member of the Sugarbaker team be if the events that put them together wouldn't have taken place?
1. Where Would We Be?

**A/N: I know that Carlene, Charlene, BJ, Allison and Suzanne weren't all at Sugarbakers at the same time. But for this story to work, they have to be. Thank you. =)**

It was a chilly October morning. Charlene and Carlene walked in the front door of the office together. Mary Jo jumped up out of her chair at the desk and rushed over to them.

"Where have you been? It's been hours! Julia's been a nervous wreck! BJ can't calm her down. Suzanne is off in her own little world like usual and Allison is driving Julia crazy." Mary Jo stated.

"I'm sorry Mary Jo. We went to take the lamps out there and then we just got talking to one another and were reminiscing about our childhood and then we just decided to go out for lunch." Charlene said with a smile.

"Charlene! You are the office manager here, you have to be here. Carlene is now our lawyer for the business. You guys are responsible to be here just like the rest of us." Mary Jo exclaimed. Charlene looked at Carlene and then at Mary Jo.

"I sure liked it better here when it was just the four of us and there wasn't so much pressure. When the business first started and we were free to do whatever. Suzanne would take long lunches, I could go take Olivia to the doctor and nobody would care. You had to come in late some mornings because of Claudia or Quint. What happened to those days?" Charlene asked.

"They are long gone. Now please get back to work!" Mary Jo hollered and walked back over to her desk and sat down. Allison and Julia walked out of the store room.

"I just things would be a little more efficient if we did it this way." Allison said. Julia turned around and smiled at her cousin.

"Allison, we aren't going to be doing things that way because we already have a system that works for Sugarbakers!" Julia exclaimed. Anthony walked in the back door holding a box. Mary Jo walked over to him.

"What do you have there Anthony?" Mary Jo asked.

"Oh it was something that was given to me for Julia. Apparently, one of our last clients weren't too happy with her. I'm not really sure what's in the box, but I had it x-rayed at the hospital and it wasn't a bomb." Anthony replied. Julia walked over to them.

"I don't care what people feel about me. Anthony, open the box." Julia stated. Anthony looked at her and laughed his really nervous laugh.

"Me? You want me to open it?" Anthony put the box down on Mary Jo's desk. "I just remembered an errand that I have to go do really fast." Anthony rushed out the door. Julia and Mary Jo exchanged glances.

"I wonder what that's all about." Mary Jo said. Julia just nodded.

"I don't know. Why don't we open this box?"

"I'll do it!" Carlene rushed over and opened the box. As soon as she did, Allison, Julia and Mary Jo took about 10 steps away from the desk because of the horrible smell. Carlene looked in the box. "It looks like animal poop. Maybe some kind of dog." Julia coughed.

"I don't care what kind of dog it is, or what animal it is; just get that box out of here." Julia replied. Carlene picked up the box and took it out the back door.

"What'd you do to upset somebody Julia?" Charlene asked.

"I don't know Charlene. I've not done anything but be my usual self."

"That's the problem Charlene." Mary Jo said looking at Charlene. When Carlene came back in she sat on the couch.

"Have you all ever thought what it would be like if we didn't work together?" Carlene asked.

"What do you mean Carlene?" Julia asked. Carlene looked at her.

"I mean, what if Sugarbakers never would have been started. If we all went our separate ways instead of being together?" Carlene questioned. Each member of the Sugarbaker team exchanged glances with somebody else.

"I don't know Carlene. What difference does it make?" Julia asked.

"I was just curious." Carlene replied.

**A/N: And here is the basis for the story! Chapter 2 coming soon! **


	2. Julia

**A/N: This hopefully won't be OOC for Designing Women; but some things will be different. The show never said what kind of wife Julia was when Hayden was alive, but I bet they both made each other very happy, so that's what this chapter is going to reflect.**

Julia McIllroy had been sitting on the couch in her living room for about twenty minutes listening to her husband Hayden on the phone with some decorating company. He needed some work done in his office and he had hired them to do some work and they weren't doing what he asked.

"Look, I'm just asking you to come back in for another meeting." Hayden said and then paused. Julia looked at him.

"_If he'd just let me talk to them, I could handle everythin_g." Julia thought to herself. She walked over and stood next to Hayden while he fought with the decorating company. Julia took the phone from him.

"Look, this is Julia Sugarbaker McIllroy. I am tired of sitting here listening to my husband fight with you. I am telling you to do what he asks because I am not in the mood to fight with you, but I will if I have to." Julia paused. Hayden tried to take the phone back but Julia turned her back to him. Just then, the front door opened. Julia looked over at the door to see who had come in. It was Hayden's new attorney, Reese Watson. He walked over to Hayden and chuckled.

"What's got all up in her skirt today Hayden?" Reese asked. Hayden looked at his attorney and shook his head.

"I was talking to a decorating company about the work they have been doing in my office and Julia took over the phone and is giving somebody a licking that I can tell you they didn't deserve. Hang on a minute Reese." Hayden turned back to Julia. "Julia, you don't have to fight my battles for me. I would actually prefer it if you didn't." Reese laughed. His wife, Mary Alice, was really quiet and didn't fight a lot so he found it amusing to be around Julia. Julia looked at Hayden.

"Hayden, give me just a few more minutes and they will start to see things your way. I think I'm making progress." Julia stated. Hayden tried to take the phone when Julia turned around again and started talking into the phone. "That is not what I agreed to. We are not going to do that. I am not going to let you walk all over my husband this way. I can tell you; this company will not be receiving my business again." Julia tried to hang up the phone when Hayden grabbed it from her.

"Please forgive my wife." Hayden said but then he took the phone down from his ear and looked at Julia. "They hung up Julia."

"You know, I still need to start my own decorating firm." Julia said. Reese and Hayden both looked at her.

"You've been saying that for years Julia." Hayden responded.

"I mean it! I'm going to start it." Julia stated. Hayden looked at Reese.

"Why is it you're here Reese? You don't usually show up unless there is some business to take care of." Hayden said.

"In fact, there is some business. Can we talk in your office?" Reese asked. He looked at Julia. "It's nothing against you Miss Julia; it's just a private thing." Julia nodded. They walked up the stairs and left Julia standing by the front door by herself. She walked over and sat down on the couch.

**A/N: I hope everybody thinks this chapter was okay. I'm sorry if it was a little off. But these are unchartered waters than what I'm used to with this show.**


	3. Mary Jo

**A/N: I'm sorry it's been so long since I've written a chapter for this story. There aren't going to be very many chapters in this story so hopefully it will be finished soon, or it may take me four years; I'm not sure yet. Just stay with me. =) Now, I'm sure that it's no mystery to all of you readers that Mary Jo Shively is my favorite character from **_**Designing Women**_**.**__**It is probably mainly because she's the one that I'm most like; anyhow without further ado. **

"Claudia! Quint! Time for breakfast!" Mary Jo hollered up the stairs for her children. She walked from the stairs over to the table where her husband was sitting at the table eating breakfast.

"This is good. Thank you." Ted said as he finished eating and then stood up and walked into the kitchen. Mary Jo followed him in there.

"Ted, we have to talk about this. I don't want you leaving here for days without us having this taken care of. I hate it when we fight, especially about money." Mary Jo said. Ted turned to face her.

"Mary Jo, this is a medical convention that I have to attend in Savannah. Look, we need the money right?" Ted asked. Mary Jo stood there and looked at the floor with her arms crossed. "Mary Jo?" She looked at him and had a pouted look on her face.

"We don't need anymore. You keep saying we do, but I think we seem to be staying afloat." Mary Jo replied.

"You don't pay the bills around here Mary Jo. I do, and if I need to go for a week for a conference I'm going to go!" Ted exclaimed.

"Is this really a medical convention or do you have a date in Savannah Ted?" Mary Jo asked. Ted whirled around and looked at her.

"Don't even go there! You know that if I got anything at home-" Ted started to say when Claudia and Quint walked down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"Morning mom!" Quint said with a huge smile. Mary Jo picked him up and hugged him.

"Good morning Quint." She put him down and hugged Claudia. "How did you guys sleep last night?" Claudia sighed.

"Well, I would have slept better if you guys wouldn't have been up fighting all night long." Claudia stated. Mary Jo sighed and walked towards the living room, but then turned around and walked back over to them. She ran her fingers through Claudia's hair.

"Why don't you guys sit down and eat breakfast before you leave for school? I know you have to be hungry. I made some pancakes." Mary Jo stated. They both sat down and started to eat. Ted walked into the living room and Mary Jo followed him. "Ted, we need to talk about this." He turned around.

"What is there to talk about? I want to do this for work and you think I'm going off to have some kind of affair?" Ted asked and faked a hurt expression. (**A/N: I say this because we all know the man's track record**.) Mary Jo sat on the couch.

"It's just because it's happened before Ted, and I just know how possible it is now and I don't want life to be like that." Mary Jo replied. Ted looked at her.

"If you want out, just leave. I'm certainly not holding you here. You have a college degree; you don't work. Go ahead and go." Ted exasperated and walked towards the door. Mary Jo stood up.

"Ted, look I don't want to fight about this. I'm sorry." Mary Jo walked over to him. Ted looked down at the ground.

"I shouldn't have gotten so upset." He mumbled to the floor. Mary Jo put her hand on his shoulder.

"I do love you. I hope you have a safe trip to Savannah. Call me when you get there." Ted opened the door and walked outside. Mary Jo went and sat on the couch. She took her sketchbook off the coffee table and opened it up. She stood up and walked into the kitchen where Claudia and Quint were sit eating breakfast.

"Why do you guys fight mom?" Quint asked looking up at his mom and her eyes filled with tears.

"Sometimes people just fight Quint. Like how you fight with your sister." Mary Jo said.

"Well yeah, but that's because you're a pipsqueak." Claudia leaned over and said to him with a huge smile. Quint balled up his fists and lifted them up. Claudia rubbed her hand through Quint's hair. "You know I love ya even though we fight right Quint?" Quint nodded. Mary Jo smiled.

"That's the way it is with your dad and me guys. Now come on. Let's get a move on." Mary Jo stood up. Claudia and Quint put their plates in the sink. They all went out to the car and Mary Jo drove to the junior high to drop off Claudia.

"Oh mom, I forgot to tell you; I'll be coming home after school today, but then I'm going to the sleepover at Melody's tonight." Claudia stated. Mary Jo nodded.

"Okay sweetheart." Mary Jo replied. Claudia closed the door and walked away from the car and into the building. As she drove away, Mary Jo looked in the rearview mirror and saw her six year old little boy sitting in his seat. She smiled at him. He was getting so big; she could hardly believe he was in school already.

"Now Quint, I'm going to be picking you up from school today okay? Not daddy." Mary Jo replied. Quint nodded.

"I know. You told me that last night." Quint said. Mary Jo pulled up to the elementary school and parked the car. Quinton was in morning kindergarten and so she had to pick him up around noon. They got out of the car and she walked him to the building. When she got him into his classroom, she went back out to the car and headed home. On the way home, Mary Jo took some deep thoughts. Ted was right. She didn't work, but she had a degree. Both of her kids were in school, she needed something to do. She and Ted agreed when they had Claudia that she wouldn't work because they wanted somebody to be home with the kids; but maybe if she had something to do while they were in school. Mary Jo shook her head. What was she thinking? There wasn't anything she could really do. When she got to the house, she unlocked the door and walked into the kitchen where she had left her sketchbook on the table. She walked into the living room and sat on the couch with a pencil and continued her sketch. Mary Jo looked up at the clock. She felt as if her life was slipping away from her while she sat back idly watching. What could she do? She had this artistic ability, but Ted told her years ago that nobody would ever buy her artwork and that she'd be alone on the street because he'd take the kids and leave. She sighed, there has to be something out there for somebody who's determined to do something.


	4. Charlene

**A/N: I'm sorry it has taken me so long to write chapter four but I just wanted it to be perfect. Charlene is probably my second favorite character, tied with Julia of course. =]**

Charlene walked in the front door of her home. She still lived at home with her parents and her baby brother. She never married so she helped her mother raise her siblings. The youngest was her brother Harold Thomas who had just turned seven. How could there be over twenty year difference between Charlene and Harold Thomas? Many people asked that question. All of the Frazier children lived within the Poplar Bluff limits and visited home quite frequently. They were always a close family.

"Mama?" Charlene called out.

"Charlene?" A voice replied. It wasn't her Mama, but it was still somebody Charlene was happy to see. She walked into the kitchen.

"Carlene?" Charlene hugged her younger sister. "I'm so glad to see you. I've certainly missed you."

"I've missed you too." Carlene replied.

"So, how's married life? The wife of a used car salesman." Charlene asked. Carlene smiled and shrugged.

"Oh you know. Same old stuff. Dwayne Dobber thinks he's everything and he has to realize he's not." Charlene grabbed a hold of Carlene.

"I can't believe you're actually married." Charlene said. "It was just you, me, Mama and Daddy for a long time."

"You can't forget Odell and Harold Thomas. You're the oldest and I'm the second youngest." Carlene stated. Just then, Emily walked in with Charlie. She's the wife of Charlene's brother Dwayne and Charlie is their daughter who was named after Charlene.

"Carlene! I didn't even expect to see you here." Emily exclaimed.

"She's surprised us all." Charlene looked at her. "Does Mama know you're here?" Carlene shook her head no.

"I used my key and let myself in." Carlene replied.

"So Ionie isn't here?" Emily asked.

"What's wrong?" Charlene questioned.

"I have to pick Margaret Ann and Dwayne Junior up from school and then go pick up Dwayne. His Mama said she could watch Charlie." Emily sighed and Charlene took Charlie.

"I'm sure Carlene and I could take care of her. I may not have my own children, but I can watch my own niece. I have been here and helped Mama raise the others- including Dwayne." Charlene said with a smile.

"Oh alright." Emily smiled and handed Charlie to Charlene. "I really need to go." She rushed towards the door. "Thank you." And Emily disappeared outside.

"Can I hold her Charlene?" Carlene asked.

"Sure. You are close to being a mother than me." Charlene replied. Carlene put her arm on Charlene.

"You'll get married Charlene. It'll be okay. Don't worry about that." Carlene stated and Charlene sighed. Then, the front door opened.

"Are you here Charlene?" Their mother asked.

"Charlene?" Harold Thomas called out. Ionie and Harold Thomas Frazier walked into the kitchen with paper bags full of groceries.

"Carlene!" Ionie said and went over to hug her, but she was careful because of Charlie.

"Hi Mama." Carlene replied.

"Where's Dwayne?" Ionie asked as she put away the groceries.

"He has to work Mama. I think he was nervous about coming to see you and daddy anyway."

"Nervous? Now I don't believe that. Why would he be nervous?" Ionie asked. Charlene looked between Carlene and Ionie.

"Come on Harold Thomas. Let's go wash your hands before dinner." Charlene said.

"Alright." Harold Thomas said excitedly. "But I don't need help." Charlene smiled.

"Alright, but I'm here just in case you do need help." Charlene said and they walked towards the bathroom. The front door opened and Harlene entered with her husband Dennis and their four children- Mindy, Danny, Jess and Edward Lee.

"This house sure is busy today!" Charlene exclaimed happily. She hugged her sister. "Hi guys." Harold Thomas opened the door and water was all over the counter and flooding the floor.

"I need help." Charlene and Harlene laughed and went to help Harold Thomas. Charlene turned off the water and Harlene took some towels and started to clean off the floor.

"Come on Harold Thomas." Charlene picked him up after they cleaned off the floor and walked into the kitchen. Ionie leaned down to his level.

"Harold Thomas, what did you get into? You're soaking wet."

"He had a little mishap Mama. We cleaned it up." Charlene said. Ionie looked up at her.

"Okay, well go change your clothes and then we'll eat." Harold Thomas rushed out of the kitchen. She didn't have any intention of ever leaving Poplar Bluff. Why should she? She had her parents, and her brothers and sisters. She worked in a lawyer's office as a receptionist. What more could she possibly ask for? She had dreams of going to Atlanta, Georgia; but there she had nobody and couldn't go so far away from everybody. That would be crazy, wouldn't it?


End file.
